News

Jun 19, 2023

An Inside Look at 4 Emerging Ice Cream Franchises

Boozy Ice Cream brand Tipsy Scoop has agreements signed for cities like Las Vegas and Boston. Ice cream is a huge sector in the United States, with major brands like Baskin Robbins and Dairy Queen

Boozy Ice Cream brand Tipsy Scoop has agreements signed for cities like Las Vegas and Boston.

Ice cream is a huge sector in the United States, with major brands like Baskin Robbins and Dairy Queen taking up much of the space. Franchise Times talked to four emerging ice cream brands looking to expand in the United States with newly launched franchise opportunities.

Tipsy Scoop

Melissa Tavss’ family has a history of making ice cream. In fact, her family made ice cream in Scotland in the 1800s. “My family skipped a few generations of ice cream making and then I brought it back in 2014,” the Tipsy Scoop CEO said.

She got the idea to add alcohol to her ice cream recipe because the consistency wasn’t coming out right. “I started adding a tablespoon of alcohol, just to soften the ice cream, and then I kind of fell in love with the flavor,” Tavss said.

Now, the brand has three corporate stores—called “barlours”—in New York City and is even serving its product on top of the Empire State Building throughout August. Tipsy Scoop also ships nationwide.

Tipsy Scoop launched its franchise initiative in March, after receiving so many “persistent” franchise inquiries.

“We decided to franchise to really continue to be a first mover in the boozy ice cream category,” Tavss said. The franchise has owners secured in Washington, D.C., Boston, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Portland, Oregon. “We’re really looking where we have capabilities to distribute easily to franchisees, so that they don’t have to make any of our products in-house. It’s all delivered to them weekly and seamlessly,” she said.

The investment required to open a Tipsy Scoop ranges from $217,291 to $284,353, according to the brand website.

The brand wanted to keep the business model simple, without the need for expensive ice cream making equipment, and store footprints are small, just 300 to 800 square feet. Most stores require one or two people working at a time.

Love Boat Ice Cream

Love Boat Ice Cream is growing in Florida.

When Andy Baker started with Love Boat Ice Cream he had just left corporate America and had no experience running an ice cream brand. Owner Brian Borst, who purchased the brand in 2014, wanted Baker to join his team to grow the brand with franchising.

“He pulled me out of corporate America, probably a few years back, and we’ve been working toward that goal now,” Baker said.

Florida-based Love Boat Ice Cream was founded in 1967 in Fort Myers, Florida. Today, the brand has three stores open, with one more under construction and another is temporarily closed because of damage from Hurricane Ian, which hit Fort Myers last September.

Each Love Boat location has between 80 to 85 flavors available at a time. Baker’s favorite is either coffee Oreo or blueberry cheesecake—he’s glad he doesn’t live in Florida “because it would be a problem for my health.” One of the more unique options is salted caramel bacon, which has real bacon in it, and lemon blueberry cookie.

Ingredients are sourced globally, like chocolate from Denmark and vanilla from Madagascar, Baker said.

Franchisees so far include other “corporate refugees,” and those with restaurant backgrounds, Baker said. Love Boat has approved three franchises so far in Florida, hopefully open by the end of this year or early next year.

“We’re focused right now on growing in Florida, just to make sure that we have everything put together and we’re able to really hold on to the hands of our initial franchisees,” he said.

Jack the Dipper

Current Owner Mike Martone bought Jack the Dipper five years ago, and one of draws was the unique name, although he doesn’t know where it comes from. “I wish I did,” Martone said.

The brand claims to be the home of the warm waffle cone. “When you order an ice cream with a waffle cone, we make the waffle cone right then and there,” Martone said. “It doesn’t get made any fresher than that.”

Jack the Dipper has six stores open in North Carolina.

With six stores open, Jack the Dipper has been operating in North Carolina since 1976. The initial investment ranges from $100,400 to $250,400. Its royalty fee is 6 percent of gross sales. The brand launched its franchise opportunity in June.

Martone, who also owns a fudge shop called Heavenly Fudge, says Jack the Dipper is ready to expand. For now, he wants to stick to growing in the southeastern United States.

Jack the Dipper serves Hershey’s ice cream, so it’s not made in-house. “I think someone needs to understand the basic concepts of operating a business and customer service, but I don’t think you necessarily have to have restaurant or ice cream experience to be able to do this,” Martone said.

Martone loves a milkshake—but he also can’t resist the freshly made waffle cones. His team invented the “jacked-up waffle shake” for folks like him. “It’s a milkshake with a waffle cone inside with milkshake toppings on top,” he said. “It’s quite tasty.”

LaDiperie

Canadian-founded LaDiperie is expanding into the United States with three U.S. franchise agreements signed. The company, owned by Kahala Brands, has 65 stores in Canada and one in St. Petersburg, Florida.

LaDiperie is a Canadian ice cream franchise that recently launched in Florida, where it's looking to grow further with franchising.

“Bringing LaDiperie to Florida in an all-year-round ice cream market and millions of yearly visitors would bring the potential of a wonderful success story for the right entrepreneur,” Vice President of Franchise Development Peter Tsafoulias wrote in an email.

Total costs for owning a LaDiperie franchise range from $219,925 to $423,525, according to its website.

The company started in Montreal with a simple mission: “An original concept focusing on customers’ love of chocolate-dipped treats with high-quality, attractive and delicious products,” he said. The dippable desserts offered include ice cream, donuts, cookies and cake.

Right now, the brand is looking to expand in Florida with franchisees who are looking to be owner-operators and be involved in their communities, Tsafoulias said.